hamilton



No. s|4,94a.

' R. F. HAMILTON.

PORTABLE SEESAW.

(Application filed .nm. a, 1897.)

Patented Nov. 29, I898.

(N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

Patented Nov. 29, I898.

R. F. HAMILTON.

' PORTABLE SEESAW.

(Application filed Jan. 8, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Hf with? I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD F. HAMILTON, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

PORTABLE SEESAW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,948, dated November 29, 1898. Application filed January 8, 1897. Serial No. 618,454. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD F. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Seesaws; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention consists of an improved apparatus to form a portable seesaw or teeter for children, and is designed to produce a seesaw which shall be readily adj ustable to different heights, swiveled so as to be capable of horizontal rotation, as well as of vertical oscillation, and which can be easily taken apart and packed-in a small compass.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying two sheets of drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with lower part broken away. Fig. 3 is a second side elevation taken at right angles to the one shown in Fig. 2.

7 Throughout the drawings like referencefigures refer to like parts.

1 is the base or standard, having the upwardly-projecting pin 2 located at or near the center thereof. This standard may sometimes be made of a heavy solid casting; butfor a portable apparatus I prefer to make it in the form of a light skeleton casting having a number of sockets 3 3, 850., into which may be introduced extension-pieces, preferably timbers, which materially increase the radius of the base without addingmuch to the weight.

The pin 2 has, preferably, a conical point 4, and on this is supported a cross-head 5, which has a cap-bearing 6, fitting said conical point and forming with it a swivel-joint for the swiveling upright piece 8, in which the cross-head 5 slides, being held in position therein by the guide-lugs 7 7, &c. The swiveljoint thus formed is steadied by the collarbearing 9, which the swiveling piece 8 has on the body of the pin 2. This swivel-joint is vertically adjustable by reason of the upright piece 8 sliding up and down on the cross-head 5, as above indicated. The piece 8 is held in any desired position of vertical adjustment by suitable clamping devices. The particular clamping device shown consists of two setscrews 10 10, which pass through slots 11 in the swiveling piece 8 and engage threaded openings in the cross-head arms.

13 is a horizontallyextending swinging piece journaled in the upright piece 8 by the shaft 12, whose axis is approximate to the horizontal plane. This piece is preferably made in the form of a skeleton casting and has sockets 14 14, into which additional extension-pieces, in the shape of planks, joists, or other forms of timber, may be introduced. These timbers (shown in part, the rest being broken away) form the seesaw or teeter in the well-known way. The sockets 14 14 may be in line one with the other, so that their in ner ends abut, as do the sockets 3 3, &c., of the standard 1; but preferably I have them side by side, as shown, so as to form a longer bearing with a given amount of metal in the piece 13.

The piece 16 is similar to 13 and similarly mounted, except that the axis of its shaft is approximately at right angles to that of shaft 12,and consequently its sockets 17 17 are at right angles to those 14 14 of the piece 13.

The method of operation of my invention is evident. The apparatus being assembled, as shown, the extension-pieces are introduced into their respective sockets and the seesaw is ready for use. On their removal the apparatus can conveniently be transported or stored. On loosening the set-screws 1O 10 the apparatus can be adjusted to the various desirable heights for children of different sizes. By reason of its swivel or pivot joint the apparatus can be used as a merry-go-round by giving it horizontal rotation.

It is evident that one or the other of the swinging pieces 13 and 16 might be dispensed with or that three or any larger number might be employed. In the latter case the axes of their shafts should be spaced at approximately equal angulardistances apart.

Having therefore described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the standard, the upright piece swiveled thereto by a joint which is vertically adjustable, and the two horizontally-extendingswinging pieces jonrnaled in the upright on independent axes which are approximately horizontal and approximately at right angles, each to the other, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the standard provided with an upwardly-proj ecting, conicallypointed pin, and a swiveling piece provided with a cross-head having a cap-bearing for the point of said conically-pointed pin and a collar-bearing encircling the body thereof, the cross-head being vertically adjustable in the main body of the swiveling piece, substantially as described.

The combination of the standard provided with an upwardly-projecting, comicallypointed pin, and a swiveling piece provided with a cross-head having a cap-bearing for the point of said c0nically-pointed pin and a collar-bearing encircling the body thereof, the cross-head being vertically adjustable in the main body of the swiveling piece, together with the two horizontally-extendin g swinging pieces journaled in the upright on independent axes which are approximately horizontal and approximately at right angles each to the other, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the standard provided with an upwardly-projecting, conicallypointed pin, and a swiveling piece, provided with a cross-head having a cap-bearing for the point of said comically-pointed pin and a collar-bearing encircling the body thereof, the cross-head being vertically adjustable in the main body of the swiveling piece, together with the two horizontally-extending swinging pieces journaled in the upright on independent axes which are approximately horizontal and approximately at right angles each to the other, each of said horizontally-extending pieces being provided with two parallel passage-ways therethrough for the introduction of additional extension-pieces substantially as described.

5. The combination of the standard provided with an n pwardly-proj ectin g pin,a swiw eling piece provided with a cross-head havin g a cap-bearing fitting the upper end of the pin, and with a collar-bearing encircling the body thereof, the cross-head being vertically adjustable in the main body of the swiveling piece, and a horizontally-extending swinging piece journaled in the swiveling piece on an axis approximately horizontal, said horizontally-extending piece being provided with sockets for the introduction of additional ex tension-pieces, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD F. HAMILTON.

\Vitnesses:

EDWIN SEGER, WM. 0. SMITH. 

